In Depth| I see new opportunities in Guangdong for B&R cooperation: Executive Director China of CBBC

It was 8:40 in the morning, and Jeff Astle, Executive Director China of China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), hurried into the conference hall on time, with the wheels of his suitcase behind turning furiously.

[Photo provided to Newsgd.com]

Opportunities seen in Guangdong’s integration projects

As for Guangdong, Astle said the province is taking a pioneering role along B&R, and thought highly about his “extremely more entrepreneurial” Guangdong business partners. “The Chinese investors in Guangdong are looking for much more rapid and innovative solutions and opportunities (in BRI).”

In fact, Guangdong has been always active and leading in the BRI. Guangdong is the 1st province in China to forward the BRI implementation plan, with 1599 cooperation projects worth $88.61 billion signed with the B&R countries from 2013 to 2016.

UK has noticed it. When mentioning Guangdong, CBBC’s report specifically introduces Guangdong’s port cluster, international airport expansion and free trade zones, showing how the province is tightening its connections with the world.

“Guangdong is strengthening its links across the PRD as well as with Hong Kong and Macao through the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao Greater Bay Area,” Astle added, “and with the overland freight trains, Guangdong is even linking to Europe, and to the UK.”

Astle said that he could really see Guangdong government and its business vision in these projects as well as the province’s ambition of creating an international environment for foreign businesses coming into Guangdong, and also benefiting from this internationally connected and integrated region.

Apart from the infrastructure sector, Astle also saw opportunities in Guangdong’s innovative sector. He thought Guangdong has brought its creative industries to the forefront and it’s moving up the value chain to be increasingly about the innovation.

Astle believed that the two sides could join hands and work in partnership in Belt and Road countries. “There are a lot of projects already going on.” he added.